The second chapter begins with a dialogue between Jeanette
and her mother on the topic of her schooling. Jeanette asks her
mother why she wants her to go to school. Her mother does not
really want her to go, but if she does not, her mother will go to
prison. Jeanette responds with a statement that St. Paul
repeatedly went to prison and God let him out. Her mother says
that although she understands this, the community does not.

Her mother turns on the radio and there is a program about the
family life of snails. She is scandalized, screaming to Jeanette
that the Devil is trying to introduce evolution into her house.
Jeanette does not think her mother has accurately interpreted
the meaning of the program.

Before her first day of school, Jeanette thinks back to a time
when she had lost her hearing for three months without anyone
noticing. When people finally realized she could not hear, they
said she was in a state of rapture. Many agreed, especially
since Jeanette was at the symbolic age of seven.

Numbers are significant throughout the book. They are
especially important to Elsie Norris. "Testifying Elsie," as she
is called, is always testifying in church how the Lord has done
something for her, such as take away a bout of colic. She also
prays for two hours each day, at seven a.m. and seven p.m. She
determines what part of the Bible she will read by throwing
"religious" dice. Elsie has a collage of Noah's ark that Jeanette
plays with whenever she visits. Jeanette always drowns the
detachable Brillo-pad chimpanzee.

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On the night Jeanette realizes that she cannot hear, she writes a
note to her mother to which she pays no attention. Jeanette
decides there is nothing else she can do, so she goes upstairs
and eats an orange. When she wakes up in the morning, her
mother has already gone to the hospital to visit Auntie Betty.
She goes for a walk and meets Mrs. Jewsbury, whom Mrs.
White has said is not holy. She writes a short note to Mrs.
Jewsbury saying that she cannot hear, and Mrs. Jewsbury is
horrified. She takes Jeanette to the hospital and tries to get
Jeanette's mother to understand what is wrong with her
daughter. Finally, she yells, "This child's not full of the Spirit .
. . she's deaf." This information gets her mother's attention. She
has the doctor examine her and discovers that she really is deaf
and needs an operation. He checks her into the hospital. Before
her mother goes home to retrieve Jeanette's things, she gives
Jeanette an orange, which calms her down. When her mother
returns, she is carrying a big bag of oranges for her daughter to
eat while in the hospital. Jeanette's operation is to be on the
following day. Her mother unthinkingly tells her that more
people die from anesthetic than from water-skiing. She adds
that if the Lord pulls her through the operation, then it means
that he has a special plan for her. Jeanette wants to live. The
next thing she remembers is someone saying "Jelly, Jeanette,"
and she thinks she is in heaven. The doctor tells her she is not;
she is just recovering from surgery. Her mother does not come
to visit because she is waiting for the plumber, but Elsie comes
to the hospital. In fact, she visits her every day. Towards the
end of Jeanette's stay in the hospital, Jeanette's mother is
involved with planning the Christmas play; since she is so
busy, she just sends her husband to the hospital with a note for
her daughter and a few oranges. Jeanette comments that
"oranges aren't the only fruit."